I cried in class today...

Thank you Dr. Zink and Tracy Chapman for allowing me to cry in class today. Timing is everything, and the fact that we happened to talk about the heart in my Marriage and Family Counseling class today was God's goodness and sovereignty. I am a woman who feels deeply in every category of life. When I feel pain and hurt, I feel it intensely. When I feel joy, it is complete and contageous.

Today when Dr. Zink played Tracy Chapman's "Remember the Tinman" I was given permission by her sad voice, thoughtful picking of her guitar, and the very insightful lyrics to ask myself some of the questions in her song. I am quieted and stirred at the same time. I am thankful that the LORD promises He is near the brokenhearted.

If we are all honest with ourselves, I think we would recognize the hurt in our hearts that we just live with every day but ignore because, well, it hurts to think about it. My dad always tells me to guard my heart and every once in a while I'll just get a text message from him that says "GYH". I love that my earthly Father has a desire to see my heart be protected from what Tracy sings of, and I love even more that my heavenly Father makes a way for our hearts to be healed when they are hurt. For we live in a fallen world and we sin against each other, hurt is inevitable. Pain is inescapable. And yet, we have a great Father who is our Healer, our Shepherd, our Protector. And we have the confidence that in the end, He will reign over the one who seeks to kill and destroy us.

But praise be to God who loves us enough to change our broken hearts, our broken spirits, and our broken souls and do something so outrageous to bring us back to Him. In chapel the other day I was reminded that it is His kindness that leads us to repentence. His kindness that woos me into His sovereign and strong arms.

"Remember The Tinman" lyrics

There are locks on the doors
And chains stretched across all the entries to the inside
There's a gate and a fence
And bars to protect from only God knows what lurks outside
Who stole your heart left you with a space
That no one and nothing can fill
Who stole your heart who took it away
Knowing that without it you can't live
Who took away the part so essential to the whole
Left you a hollow body
Skin and bone
What robber what thief who stole your heart and the key
Who stole your heart
The smile from your face
The innocence the light from your eyes
Who stole your heart or did you give it away
And if so then when and why
Who took away the part so essential to the whole
Left you a hollow body
Skin and bone
What robber what thief
Who stole your heart and the key
Now all sentiment is gone
Now you have no trust in no one
Who stole your heart
Did you know but forget the method and moment in time
Was it a trickster using mirrors and sleight of hand
A strong elixir or a potion that you drank
Who hurt your heart
Bruised it in a place
That no one and nothing can heal
You've gone to wizards, princes and magic men
You've gone to witches, the good the bad the indifferent
But still all sentiment is gone
But still you have no trust in no one
If you can tear down the walls
Throw your armor away remove all roadblocks barricades
If you can forget there are bandits and dragons to slay
And don't forget that you defend an empty space
And remember the tinman
Found he had what he thought he lacked
Remember the tinman
Go find your hear and take it back
Who stole your heart
Maybe no one can say
One day you will find it I pray